This application relates generally to firearms, and more particularly, to firearms that utilize bolt-locking firing technologies for firing center-fire cartridges.
In at least some known automatic and semi-automatic firearms, a cartridge is ejected from the firearm using a portion of the propellant gas generated by the cartridge during ignition. In some known gas-operated firearms, a portion of the propellant gas is channeled from a rifle barrel to an ejection mechanism to actuate a bolt assembly. Specifically, an amount of propellant gas is channeled through a gas port defined within the barrel to a gas tube or a piston and cylinder arrangement. The gas is then converted to kinetic energy and transferred to the bolt assembly, causing the bolt assembly to move rearward. As a result, the bolt assembly is unlocked from the barrel and the spent cartridge is ejected from the chamber. Once the spent cartridge is ejected, a new cartridge is loaded into the chamber. During operation of such systems, propellant gas residue may build-up, or foul, the bolt assembly components. Such fouling may increase the likelihood of misfires or gun-jams.
In another known embodiment, the propellant gases generated by the cartridge facilitates actuating the bolt assembly by utilizing a blowback method. In such an embodiment, the bolt assembly is not locked to the barrel. Rather, a biasing mechanism applies a force to the bolt assembly such that the bolt assembly is coupled to the barrel. During operation, the propellant gases overcome the biasing force and facilitate moving the bolt assembly rearward, or blowing the bolt assembly back, which facilitates ejecting the spent cartridge from the chamber and reloading a new cartridge.
Such gas-operated and blowback systems may facilitate fouling internal firearm components such as the bolt assembly, which facilitates increasing the likelihood of misfires and gun-jams. As such, a user may be required to spend additional time disassembling, cleaning and reassembling the firearm.